1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a stencil discharge apparatus, in a mimeographic printing machine or the like, for compressing a used stencil to discard.
2. Description of the Related Art
A mimeographic printing machine is currently known which includes a rotary cylindrical drum supporting on its outer circumferential surface a stencil. Generally, in this type of conventional machine, an ink supply means is located inside the cylindrical drum, and the stencil is wound on the outer circumferential surface of an ink-penetrable tubular wall. During printing, a paper sheet is moved forwardly while being held between a press roller and the cylindrical drum as the latter is driven to rotate.
For discarding a used stencil upon completion of printing, the above-mentioned conventional mimeographic printing machine is equipped with a stencil discharge means composed of a peeling claw located near the cylindrical drum, take-up rollers and a disposal box. In use, an end of the used stencil is peeled from the circumferential surface of the cylindrical drum by the peel claw, and the partially peeled stencil is further peeled off the cylindrical drum by winding on the take-up rollers, whereupon the completely peeled stencil is directly pushed into the disposal box.
With this conventional stencil discharge means, since the used stencil is pushed into the disposal box by the take-up rollers which peels the stencil from the cylindrical drum, the force of compressing the discarded stencil within the disposal box was inadequate. When many discarded stencils have been accumulated in the disposal box, the discarded stencils would tend to be entangled on the take-up rollers.